Server apparatus, image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, image forming control method, and image forming control program

ABSTRACT

A server apparatus provides a social networking service (SNS). The server apparatus stores a specific relation between a terminal apparatus and a printer that are allowed for communication using the SNS. The server apparatus stores relations between one or more icons and commands each corresponding to a respective one of the icons and including an image forming condition and an image forming instruction. Upon receiving a selected icon having been selected on the terminal apparatus, information indicating a selected printer having been selected on the terminal apparatus out of printers in specific relations with the terminal apparatus, and a piece of image data from the terminal apparatus, the server apparatus transmits a command corresponding to the selected icon and the piece of image data to the selected printer.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present disclosure relates to a server apparatus that provides asocial networking service (hereinafter referred to as an SNS) and animage forming apparatus, an information processing apparatus, an imageforming control method, and an image forming control program that usethe SNS.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, as a form of social interaction via the Internet, manySNSs have come to be used. A user is able to use an SNS by installingdedicated application software to a terminal apparatus such as apersonal computer, a smartphone (high function portable telephone), anda tablet terminal and registering an account to a server apparatus ofthe SNS that the user wishes to join.

Furthermore, in recent years, in terminal apparatuses as describedabove, manuscripts such as photographs have been handled more often, forexample, in photographing, downloading a photograph provided over anSNS, downloading a photograph or an article from a website, andreceiving a photograph attached to an e-mail. With this, improvement hasbeen desired in operability when an image of a manuscript stored in theterminal apparatus is formed on a piece of paper.

For example, when an image forming instruction is made from a personalcomputer to an image forming apparatus, a printer driver is activatedand various image forming conditions are set before the image forminginstruction is made. The various image forming conditions includeselection of an image forming apparatus, a paper size, an image formingmode, for example, color or monochrome, printed surfaces, for example,simplex or duplex printing, a layout, a number of copies, and the like.

Meanwhile, as a technique of executing an image forming instruction viaan Internet communication line, a network system is proposed with whicha setting detail of an image forming condition is described in a text ofan e-mail by an HTML program and an image forming instruction of a fileattached to the e-mail is executed in a terminal apparatus that hasreceived the e-mail (for example, see descriptions related to FIGS. 6and 7, in particular, in Japanese Unexamined Patent ApplicationPublication No. 2006-23935).

Furthermore, an image forming apparatus is also proposed with which whenan image forming instruction in a natural language is written in amicro-blog as a message to an image forming apparatus, this message isconverted into a format processable by the image forming apparatus usinga service provided over the Internet and the message after conversion isreceived, whereby image formation is performed (for example, seeJapanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-49098).

However, the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined PatentApplication Publication No. 2006-23935 attempts to simplify an imageforming instruction at a receiving side of an e-mail. A transmittingside of the e-mail is not able to execute an image forming instructionwhen the transmitting side does not understand the description form ofthe HTML program. Furthermore, the program has to be described so as toset an image forming condition, such as a number of copies, an imageforming mode, printing surfaces, and a layout, one by one. With this,the operability is not good.

With the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent ApplicationPublication No. 2014-49098 also, a message has to be described so as toset an image forming condition, such as specification of an imageforming apparatus, a number of copies, printing surfaces, an imageforming mode, and a postprocessing function, one by one. With this, theoperability is not good.

It is desirable to provide a server apparatus, an image formingapparatus, an information processing apparatus, an image forming controlmethod, and an image forming control program that are able to improveoperability of setting of an image forming condition.

SUMMARY

A server apparatus according to the present disclosure provides a socialnetworking service. The server apparatus includes a specific relationstorage unit, a command storage unit, and a command transmission unit.The specific relation storage unit stores specific relations between aterminal apparatus and each of one or more image forming apparatuses,the terminal apparatus and the image forming apparatuses being able tobe connected to the server apparatus via a communication line and beingallowed to perform communication using the social networking service.The command storage unit stores relations between one or more icons andcommands each corresponding to a respective one of the icons andincluding an image forming condition and an image forming instruction.Upon receiving a selection icon having been selected on the terminalapparatus out of the icons, information indicating a selected imageforming apparatus having been selected on the terminal apparatus out ofthe image forming apparatuses having specific relations with theterminal apparatus, and a piece of image data used for forming an imagein the selected image forming apparatus from the terminal apparatus, thecommand transmission unit reads out a corresponding commandcorresponding to the selected icon from the command storage unit andtransmits the corresponding command and the piece of image data to theselected image forming apparatus.

An image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure is ableto be connected to a server apparatus providing a social networkingservice via a communication line. The image forming apparatus includes acommand storage unit, an image forming unit, and an image formingcondition setting unit. The command storage unit stores relationsbetween one or more icons and commands each corresponding to arespective one of the icons and including an image forming condition.The image forming unit forms an image on paper. Upon receiving any ofthe icons and a piece of image data from the server apparatus, the imageforming condition setting unit reads out a corresponding commandcorresponding to the received icon from the command storage unit andcauses the image forming unit to form an image based on the piece ofimage data under the image forming condition included in thecorresponding command.

An information processing apparatus according to the present disclosureis able to be connected to a server apparatus providing a socialnetworking service and each of image forming apparatuses forming animage on paper via a communication line. The information processingapparatus includes a command storage unit and a command transmissionunit. The command storage unit stores relations between one or moreicons and commands each corresponding to a respective one of the iconsand including an image forming condition and an image forminginstruction. Upon receiving any of the icons and a piece of image datafrom the server apparatus, the command transmission unit reads out acorresponding command corresponding to the received icon from thecommand storage unit and transmits the corresponding command and thepiece of image data to the image forming apparatus.

An image forming control method according to the present disclosureincludes selecting an image forming apparatus, selecting an icon,selecting a piece of image data, and forming an image. At the selectingan image forming apparatus, selection of an optional image formingapparatus out of one or more image forming apparatuses is received on aterminal apparatus. The image forming apparatuses and the terminalapparatus are able to be connected to a server apparatus providing asocial networking service via a communication line. The image formingapparatuses are in specific relations allowing communication with theterminal apparatus using the social networking service. At the selectingan icon, each of one or more commands includes an image formingcondition and an image forming instruction, and out of one or more iconseach corresponding to a respective one of the commands, selection of anoptional icon is received on the terminal apparatus. At the selecting apiece of image data, selection of a piece of image data used for formingan image in the selected image forming apparatus having been selected onthe terminal apparatus is received on the terminal apparatus. At theforming an image, under an image forming condition corresponding to theselected icon having been selected on the terminal apparatus, the pieceof image data is used for forming an image in the selected image formingapparatus.

An image forming control program according to the present disclosure isexecuted in a terminal apparatus being able to be connected to a serverapparatus providing a social networking service via a communicationline. The image forming control program causes the terminal apparatus toexecute selecting an image forming apparatus, selecting an icon,selecting a piece of image data, and transmitting. In the selecting animage forming apparatus, a list of one or more image forming apparatusesbeing in specific relations allowing communication with the terminalapparatus using the social networking service is displayed and selectionof an optional image forming apparatus out of the image formingapparatuses is received. In the selecting an icon, each of the one ormore icons are associated with an image forming condition and an imageforming instruction, the icons are displayed, and selection an optionalicon out of the icons is received. In the selecting a piece of imagedata, selection of a piece of image data used for forming an image inthe image forming apparatus having been selected in the selecting animage forming apparatus is received. In the transmitting, the iconhaving been selected in the selecting an icon, information indicatingthe image forming apparatus selected in the selecting an image formingapparatus, and the piece of image data having been selected in theselecting a piece of image data are transmitted to the server apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a general view illustrating a configuration of an imageforming system including a server apparatus according to a firstembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a terminalapparatus included in the image forming system;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the serverapparatus;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an imageforming apparatus included in the image forming system;

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram explaining a series of processing accordingto the first embodiment;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are examples of an operation display screen of theterminal apparatus, FIG. 6A illustrating a printer selection screen andFIG. 6B illustrating a talk screen with a selected printer;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are other examples of the operation display screen ofthe terminal apparatus, FIG. 7A illustrating the screen in a state inwhich a stamp has been transmitted and FIG. 7B illustrating the screenin a state in which a reply message from the printer is displayed;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are still other examples of the operation display screenof the terminal apparatus, FIG. 8A illustrating a selection menu screenfor a photograph or a file desired for image formation and FIG. 8Billustrating the screen in a state in which a photograph has beentransmitted;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are yet other examples of the operation display screenof the terminal apparatus, FIG. 9A illustrating the screen in a state inwhich a reply message indicating that the printer has received an imageforming instruction is displayed and FIG. 9B illustrating the screen ina state in which a message indicating that image formation has beencompleted is displayed;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a serverapparatus according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram explaining part of processing according tothe second embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram explaining part of processing according tothe second embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a serverapparatus according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram explaining part of processing according tothe third embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a terminalapparatus according to a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printeraccording to a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a sequence diagram explaining processing according to thefifth embodiment; and

FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of aninformation processing apparatus according to a sixth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

As illustrated in FIG. 1, an image forming system 1 includes a terminalapparatus 10, a server apparatus 20, and one or more printers 31, 32,33, 34, and 35. The terminal apparatus 10, the server apparatus 20, andeach of the printers 31 to 35 are connected to an Internet communicationline. In the present embodiment, the terminal apparatus 10 is connectedto the Internet communication line wirelessly, and the server apparatus20 and each of the printers 31 to 35 are connected to the Internetcommunication line through a wire. However, the terminal apparatus 10may be connected through a wire, and the server apparatus 20 and part orall of the printers 31 to 35 may be connected wirelessly.

As specific examples of the terminal apparatus 10, a smartphone, atablet terminal, a personal computer, and the like can be cited. Asspecific examples of the printers 31 to 35, a multi-function printerhaving a plurality of image forming modes, such as a printer mode, acopy mode, and a facsimile mode, as well as a single function printercan be cited. As image forming methods for the printers 31 to 35, anelectrophotographic method, an inkjet method, a thermal method, or thelike can be cited. There is no special limitation on the image formingmethods and any type of method is acceptable as long as it is able toform an image on paper. As one example, the printers 31 to 35 areinstalled in a public space such as a convenience store or a bookstore.The printers 31 to 35 correspond to image forming apparatuses forming animage on paper.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the terminal apparatus 10 includes a controlunit 11, an operation display unit 12, a flash memory 13, and a networkinterface 14.

The operation display unit 12 performs reception and display of an inputoperation of various types of information. As an example, the operationdisplay unit 12 is formed of a liquid crystal touch panel.

The flash memory 13 is a non-volatile memory and stores therein an imageforming control program executed by the control unit 11, accountinformation for logging in an SNS, and a piece of image data such asphotograph data and stamp image data. The account information includesidentification data (ID) and a password. It is to be noted that theflash memory 13 is an example of a device having a function of storingtherein various types of information. Instead of the flash memory 13,other types of storage devices such as a hard disk may be used.

The network interface 14 includes at least either one of a wirelesslocal area network (LAN) interface connecting the control unit 11 to theInternet via a wireless router which is not illustrated and a mobilecommunication interface connecting the control unit 11 to the Internetvia a mobile base station. In the present embodiment, the networkinterface 14 includes both of the wireless LAN interface and the mobilecommunication interface. The network interface 14 performs transmissionof the account information in the SNS, messages in the SNS, pieces ofthe image data, and the like to the server apparatus 20 as well asreception of messages from the server apparatus 20. The messages includetexts, photographs, and icons referred to as stamps in the SNS.Hereinafter, these icons are also referred to as stamps.

A stamp is displayed to a user as a pictograph in a manner mixed with atext in a message in the SNS. A piece of stamp data includes a headercode indicating a corresponding stamp, a stamp code assigned so as toindicate the stamp, and a piece of stamp image data. It is to be notedthat a piece of text data is formed of a character code. When the stampis transmitted to the server apparatus 20 from the terminal apparatus10, the header code and the stamp code are transmitted.

When the message is displayed on the terminal apparatus 10, the controlunit 11 reads out the codes of the message in accordance with a displayprogram of the message and displays a piece of display datacorresponding thereto. When the control unit 11 has read out thecharacter code, the control unit 11 displays a character (font)corresponding to the character code in a display region of the message.When the control unit 11 has read out the header code indicating thestamp, the control unit 11 continuously reads out the stamp code toidentify the stamp, calls the piece of stamp image data, and displaysthe called piece of stamp image data in the display region of themessage as an image of the stamp. The stamp image data is locally storedin the terminal apparatus 10 in a specific file format (example: pngformat).

The control unit 11 performs overall control of the devices in theterminal apparatus 10. The control unit 11 executes the image formingcontrol program, thereby receiving an image forming condition and animage forming instruction. More specifically, the control unit 11 readsout the account information from the flash memory 13 and transmits theread account information to the server apparatus 20, thereby logging inthe SNS. The control unit 11 receives selection of the piece of imagedata as well as the image forming condition and the image forminginstruction over the SNS and transmits the piece of image data and thelike to any of the printers 31 to 35 via the server apparatus 20,thereby causing the image based on the piece of image data to be formedon paper. The details of this processing will be described later.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the server apparatus 20 includes a controlunit 21, a hard disk 22, and a network interface 23.

The network interface 23 connects the control unit 21 to the Internetand, over the SNS, performs transmission of messages to the terminalapparatus 10, transmission of commands and pieces of image data to theprinters 31 to 35 as well as reception of messages and pieces of imagedata from the terminal apparatus 10, and reception of pieces of statusinformation from the printers 31 to 35, for example.

The hard disk 22 includes an authentication information storage unit221, a specific relation storage unit 222, and a command storage unit223.

The authentication information storage unit 221 stores thereinauthentication information for authenticating the account informationreceived from the terminal apparatus 10 and the printers 31 to 35.

The specific relation storage unit 222 stores therein specific relationsbetween the terminal apparatus 10 and each of the printers 31 to 35,accounts of which are registered in the SNS and among whichcommunication of messages using the SNS is allowed. In the SNS,communication of messages between the users whose accounts areregistered is not allowed only with the registrations of accounts. Whena specific relation registration has been made, the users registered inthe specific relation are able to perform communication of messages witheach other.

The command storage unit 223 stores therein relations between one ormore icons and commands each corresponding to a respective one of theicons. Each command includes an image forming condition and an imageforming instruction. Each of the icons corresponds to an image formingcondition having a setting detail different from those of others, forexample, A4 size paper or B5 size paper. Furthermore, it is desirablethat a combination of a plurality of setting types among a paper size,an image forming mode, printing surfaces, a layout, a number of copies,and the like corresponds to each of the icons. It is to be noted thatimage formation and printing herein indicate the same meaning.

In addition to these, the hard disk 22 stores therein various types ofinformation such as a software program executed by the control unit 21to provide the SNS. It is to be noted that instead of the hard disk 22,other storage devices such as a flash memory may be used.

The control unit 21 includes an authentication unit 211 and a commandtransmission unit 212.

The authentication unit 211 collates the account information providedfrom the terminal apparatus 10 and the printers 31 to 35 with theauthentication information stored in the authentication informationstorage unit 221 and performs authentication whether the account of eachof the terminal apparatus 10 and the printers 31 to 35 is registered inthe SNS. When the account is registered, the authentication unit 211causes the registered one of the terminal apparatus 10 and the printers31 to 35 to log in the SNS. When the account is not registered, theauthentication unit 211 transmits log-in error information to theunregistered one of the terminal apparatus 10 and the printers 31 to 35.

When the server apparatus 20 has received, from the terminal apparatus10, a selected icon that has been selected on the terminal apparatus 10out of the icons usable over the SNS provided in the terminal apparatus10, information indicating a selected printer (for example, the printer31) that has been selected on the terminal apparatus 10 out of theprinters 31 to 35 that are in specific relations with the terminalapparatus 10, and a piece of image data used for forming an image by theselected printer, the command transmission unit 212 reads out acorresponding command corresponding to the selected icon from thecommand storage unit 223 and transmits the corresponding command and thepiece of image data to the selected printer. The details of thisprocessing will be described later.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the printer 31 includes a control unit 311, anoperation unit 312, a flash memory 313, an image forming unit 314, and anetwork interface 315.

The network interface 315 connects the control unit 311 to the Internetand receives commands and pieces of image data from the server apparatus20. The network interface 315 further transmits, to the server apparatus20, a piece of status information indicating a state of the printer 31such as information on whether the printer 31 is in a state capable offorming an image and information that an image formation has beencompleted or an error has been generated.

The image forming unit 314 performs an image forming process with anelectrophotographic method, thereby forming an image on paper. It is tobe noted that the image forming unit 314 may perform image formationwith an inkjet method or a thermal method.

The flash memory 313 is a non-volatile memory that stores therein theaccount information for logging in the SNS and the like. It is to benoted that the flash memory 313 is an example of a device having afunction of storing various types of information. Instead of the flashmemory 313, other types of storage devices may be used.

The operation unit 312 receives input operations of various types ofinformation. It is to be noted that the operation unit 312 may receiveand display input operations of various types of information, and forexample, may be formed of a liquid crystal touch panel.

The control unit 311 performs overall control of the devices in theprinter 31. The control unit 311 reads out the account information fromthe flash memory 313 and transmits the read account information to theserver apparatus 20, thereby logging in the SNS. The control unit 311causes the image forming unit 314 to form an image on paper based on apiece of image data received from the terminal apparatus 10 via theserver apparatus 20, in a state logging in the SNS.

With reference to FIGS. 5 to 9B, procedures of image forming controlusing the SNS will be described.

When the user performs a touch operation on the terminal apparatus 10and an SNS application software thus has been activated on the terminalapparatus 10, the terminal apparatus 10 transmits the accountinformation to the server apparatus 20. The server apparatus 20 collatesthe account information received from the terminal apparatus 10 with theauthentication information stored in the authentication informationstorage unit 221 and performs authentication whether the account of theterminal apparatus 10 is registered in the SNS. When the account isregistered, the server apparatus 20 causes the terminal apparatus 10 tolog in the SNS. When the account is not registered, the server apparatus20 transmits the log-in error information to the terminal apparatus 10.It is assumed that the printers 31 to 35 also have logged in the SNSwith the same procedure. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, it isassumed that the terminal apparatus 10 and each of the printers 31 to 35are registered in the specific relation.

As illustrated in FIG. 6A, the terminal apparatus 10 displays a list ofaccount names of the printers 31 to 35 that are in specific relationswith the terminal apparatus 10 on a screen of a specific relation listfor the SNS to be displayed on the operation display unit 12 andreceives selection of an optional printer from the printers 31 to 35. InFIG. 6A, the printers 31 to 35 are respectively described as a firstprinter, a second printer, a third printer, a fourth printer, and afifth printer. However, in an actual case, it is desirable that accountnames that are easily identifiable such as model numbers or the like ofthe printers 31 to 35 are displayed. Under each of the account names ofthe printers 31 to 35, for example, information such as a guide text“Send stamp if you wish to print” is displayed.

In the terminal apparatus 10, out of the printers 31 to 35 that areregistered in the specific relation, when a desired printer (forexample, the printer 31) has been selected by the user (S1), the controlunit 11 causes display of the operation display unit 12 to change to atalk screen for exchanging messages with the selected printer 31 (S2).

As illustrated in FIG. 6B, the talk screen with the printer 31 includesa message display region 41, a message input region 42, a Send button43, and a stamp display region 44. As an example, the message displayregion 41 occupies approximately half of the upper side of the talkscreen. The message input region 42 is arranged substantially in thecenter in the vertical direction of the talk screen. The Send button 43is arranged so as to be adjacent to the right side of the message inputregion 42 and receives a transmission instruction of an input message.The stamp display region 44 occupies substantially half of the lowerside of the talk screen.

In the message display region 41, histories of messages and times atwhich the messages are transmitted and received are displayed. As anexample, the latest message is displayed in the lowest part of themessage display region 41 and the histories of the messages are scrolledfrom bottom to top.

In the stamp display region 44, one or more icons referred to as stampsare displayed. In the present embodiment, four stamps 45, 46, 47, and 48are displayed. As an example, the stamp 45 corresponds to imageformation in a monochrome image forming mode. The stamp 46 correspondsto image formation in color image forming mode. The stamp 47 correspondsto image formation under an image forming condition related to acombination of two setting types of a layout printing forming two imagesin one sheet of paper and duplex printing. The stamp 48 corresponds toimage formation under an image forming condition related to acombination of two setting types of using L-size paper and a purpose ofphotograph printing.

In the talk screen with the printer 31 illustrated in FIG. 6B, theterminal apparatus 10 receives selection of an optional stamp from thestamps 45 to 48. When an optional stamp has been selected by the userfrom the stamps 45 to 48 (for example, the stamp 48) and a touchoperation has been performed on the Send button 43 (S3), the terminalapparatus 10 transmits information indicating the selected printer 31and the selected stamp 48 to the server apparatus 20 (S4).

As illustrated in FIG. 7A, when the terminal apparatus 10 hastransmitted the stamp 48, the terminal apparatus 10 displays atransmission history of the stamp 48 to the message display region 41.

When the server apparatus 20 has received the stamp 48 from the terminalapparatus 10, the server apparatus 20 causes a piece of stamp data ofthe stamp 48 to be temporarily saved in the hard disk 22 and makes aninquiry to the selected printer 31 about whether image formation isallowed (S5).

The printer 31 determines whether image formation is allowed (S6) andtransmits a piece of status information indicating a result of thedetermination to the server apparatus 20 (S7).

When the server apparatus 20 has received, from the printer 31, a pieceof status information indicating that image formation is allowed, theserver apparatus 20 transmits, to the terminal apparatus 10, a replymessage prompting transmission of the piece of image data (S8). When theserver apparatus 20 has received, from the printer 31, a piece of statusinformation indicating that image formation is not allowed, the serverapparatus 20 transmits, to the terminal apparatus 10, a reply messageindicating that image formation is not allowed. A case where the serverapparatus 20 has received, from the printer 31, a piece of statusinformation indicating that image formation is allowed will be describedbelow.

As illustrated in FIG. 7B, the terminal apparatus 10 displays themessage prompting transmission of the piece of image data on the messagedisplay region 41 based on the reply message received from the serverapparatus 20. For example, the terminal apparatus 10 displays a message“Send image file to be printed”.

As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the talk screen with the printer 31 on theterminal apparatus 10 further includes a file management button 49 onthe left side of the message input region 42. When a touch operation hasbeen performed on the file management button 49, the terminal apparatus10 causes the region that has been the stamp display region 44 to changeto a file management region 50. As an example, in the file managementregion 50, a plurality of buttons including a button 51 for selecting aphotograph, a button 52 for taking a photograph, and a button 53 forselecting an image file other than a photograph are displayed.

For example, when a touch operation has been performed on the button 51for selecting a photograph, a desired photograph has been selected, anda touch operation has been performed on the Send button 43 (S9), thepiece of image data of the selected photograph is transmitted to theserver apparatus 20 (S10) and the photograph is displayed together withthe transmission time in the message display region 41, as illustratedin FIG. 8B.

The server apparatus 20 reads out the piece of stamp data for the stamp48 received at S4 from the hard disk 22 and reads out a commandcorresponding to the stamp 48 from the command storage unit 223, therebyconverting the stamp 48 into the command (S11), and transmits thecommand and the piece of image data to the selected printer 31 (S12).

The printer 31 sets an image forming condition included in the receivedcommand before performing image formation based on the piece of imagedata (S13).

When the printer 31 has started image formation, the printer 31transmits, to the server apparatus 20, a piece of status information forcausing a reply message “Received printing! Now printing . . . ”, forexample, to be displayed, as illustrated in FIG. 9A. Furthermore, whenimage formation has been completed, the printer 31 transmits a piece ofstatus information indicating that image formation has been completed tothe server apparatus 20 (S14). On the other hand, when an error has beengenerated, the printer 31 transmits a piece of status informationindicating that effect to the server apparatus 20.

The server apparatus 20 transmits, to the terminal apparatus 10, a replymessage based on the piece of status information received from theprinter 31 (S15).

As illustrated in FIG. 9B, the terminal apparatus 10 displays thereceived reply message on the message display region 41 (S16).

As described above, according to the image forming control programexecuted in the terminal apparatus 10 or the server apparatus 20, fromthe terminal apparatus 10 to the server apparatus 20, the stamp 48corresponding to the desired image forming condition is transmittedtogether with the information indicating the printer 31 desired toperform image formation and the piece of image data desired to be usedfor forming an image. With this, the command corresponding to this stamp48 is transmitted to the selected printer 31. This causes the selectedprinter 31 to form an image based on the piece of image data on paperunder the image forming condition corresponding to the selected stamp48.

As described above, with a simple operation of transmitting the stamp48, the image forming condition is set. With this, no printer driver hasto be used, and various image forming conditions do not have to be setone by one.

Furthermore, by causing each of the stamps 45 to 48 to correspond to animage forming condition having a setting detail different from those ofothers, for example, a monochrome image forming mode or a color imageforming mode, an image forming condition is able to be set by selectinga desired setting detail from setting details different from oneanother. Furthermore, when a combination of a plurality of setting typesamong a paper size, an image forming mode, printing surfaces, a layout,a number of copies, and the like is set to correspond to each of thestamps 45 to 48, transmission of one stamp enables to set an imageforming condition related to the combination of a plurality of settingtypes. This enables to improve operability of setting of an imageforming condition.

Second Embodiment

As illustrated in FIG. 10, a server apparatus 20A according to a secondembodiment is characterized by a configuration in which the control unit21 further includes a charging unit 213 and an invalidating unit 214 andthe hard disk 22 further includes a balance storage unit 224. The otherpart of the configuration is formed in the same manner as in the serverapparatus 20 according to the first embodiment.

The charging unit 213 provides the stamps 45 to 48 whose correspondencerelations with commands are stored in the command storage unit 223 tothe terminal apparatus 10 in exchange for charging at preset prices.

The balance storage unit 224 stores therein an initial balance presetfor each of the stamps 45 to 48 provided by the charging unit 213. Withrespect to each of the stamps 45 to 48, the balance storage unit 224stores therein a current balance obtained by subtracting an integratedvalue of generated charges from the initial balance. The charge isgenerated with the server apparatus 20A receiving each of the stamps 45to 48 from the terminal apparatus 10 and transmitting a commandcorresponding to that stamp to any of the printers 31 to 35, that is,forming an image on paper.

The invalidating unit 214 invalidates a noted stamp out of the stamps 45to 48 in the terminal apparatus 10 when the current balance of the notedstamp becomes less than a price of a charge generated by transmitting acommand corresponding to the noted stamp to any of the printers 31 to35.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, when the user has performed a touch operationon the terminal apparatus 10 and thereby transmits a request to purchasean optional stamp out of the stamps 45 to 48 to the server apparatus 20Afrom the terminal apparatus 10 (S21), the server apparatus 20A performscharging processing at a preset price (S22) and provides a piece ofstamp data of the requested stamp out of the stamps 45 to 48 to theterminal apparatus 10 (S23). The terminal apparatus 10 stores the pieceof stamp data in the flash memory 13 (S24) and displays the stamps 45 to48 as appropriate on the operation display unit 12. When the serverapparatus 20A provides the stamps to the terminal apparatus 10, theserver apparatus 20A transmits, to the terminal apparatus 10, a stampcode and a piece of stamp image data that correspond to the stamp to beprovided. The stamp code is used for associating the stamp and thecommand.

When procedures as illustrated in FIG. 5 have been performed by usingany of the stamps 45 to 48 that has been provided to the terminalapparatus 10 with charging processing, an image is formed on paper and amessage indicating that image formation has been completed is displayedon the terminal apparatus 10.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the server apparatus 20A calculates aremaining number of sheets of paper on which an image can be formed forthe noted stamp out of the stamps 45 to 48, by dividing the currentbalance of the noted stamp by the price of a charge generated by formingan image by transmitting the command corresponding to the noted stamp toany of the printers 31 to 35 (S31). In the same manner, the serverapparatus 20A calculates a remaining number of sheets of paper on whichan image can be formed for each of the stamps 45 to 48.

The server apparatus 20A determines whether the current balance of thenoted stamp has become less than the price of the charge generated byforming an image by transmitting the command corresponding to the notedstamp to any of the printers 31 to 35, that is, whether the remainingnumber of sheets of paper on which an image can be formed has become 0,as a result of the calculation at S31. When the remaining number ofsheets of paper on which an image can be formed has become 0, the serverapparatus 20A determines that the noted stamp is to be invalidated(S32).

It is to be noted that steps described below may be employed in theconfiguration. To each of the stamps 45 to 48, an initial number ofsheets of paper on which an image can be formed is set, and the setnumber is stored in the hard disk 22. At S31, the invalidating unit 214calculates a remaining number of sheets of paper on which an image canbe formed for the noted stamp by subtracting an integrated value ofnumbers of sheets of paper on which images have been formed bytransmitting commands corresponding to the noted stamp to the printers31 to 35 from the initial number of sheets for the noted stamp. Thecalculated remaining number of sheets of paper on which an image can beformed is stored in the hard disk 22. At S32, when the remaining numberof sheets of paper on which an image can be formed has become 0, theinvalidating unit 214 determines that the noted stamp is to beinvalidated.

When the stamp is to be invalidated, the server apparatus 20A transmits,to the terminal apparatus 10, a piece of instruction data instructing todelete the piece of stamp data on the terminal apparatus 10 (S33).Furthermore, the server apparatus 20A transmits, to the terminalapparatus 10, a message that the stamp has been invalidated (S34).

The terminal apparatus 10 invalidates the stamp for which the piece ofinstruction data instructing to delete has been received from the serverapparatus 20A (S35). Specifically, for example, the terminal apparatus10 deletes the stamp. It is to be noted that when the piece ofinstruction data instructing to delete has been received from the serverapparatus 20A, the stamp may be displayed in a grayed-out manner so asto receive no more touch operation and may be deleted by the userperforming a deletion operation.

With the server apparatus 20A, the stamps 45 to 48 are purchased fromthe server apparatus 20A, whereby these stamps 45 to 48 are provided tothe terminal apparatus 10. A printer out of the printers 31 to 35 and apiece of image data are selected and any of the stamps 45 to 48 istransmitted to the server apparatus 20A, whereby a command correspondingto the selected one out of the stamps 45 to 48 is transmitted to theselected one of the printers 31 to 35. With this, image formation isperformed and at the same time, settlement of a charge generated by theimage formation is performed. That is to say, at the point where thestamps 45 to 48 have been purchased, settlement of charges for imageformation has been completed for a predetermined number of sheets. Withthis, when actual image formation is performed, additional payment of acharge does not have to be made.

Furthermore, when the current balance of the noted stamp is insufficientfor the price of the charge for image formation to be performed bytransmitting the noted stamp, the noted stamp is invalidated in theterminal apparatus 10. With this, image formation is performed within arange of the initial balance preset at the time when the stamps 45 to 48have been purchased, whereby a charge exceeding the initial balance isinhibited from being generated.

Third Embodiment

As illustrated in FIG. 13, a server apparatus 20B according to a thirdembodiment is characterized by a configuration in which the control unit21 further includes a balance information transmission unit 215. Theother part of the configuration is formed in the same manner as in theserver apparatus 20A according to the second embodiment.

With respect to each of the stamps 45 to 48, the balance informationtransmission unit 215 reads out the current balance from the balancestorage unit 224 and transmits information related to the currentbalance to the terminal apparatus 10.

As illustrated in FIG. 14, in the same manner as in S31, the serverapparatus 20B calculates a remaining number of sheets of paper on whichan image can be formed for each of the stamps 45 to 48 (S41). The serverapparatus 20B transmits, to the terminal apparatus 10, a piece ofinformation of the remaining number of sheets of paper on which an imagecan be formed for each of the stamps 45 to 48 that has been acquired atS41 (S42). The terminal apparatus 10 updates the piece of stamp data ofeach of the stamps 45 to 48 based on the piece of information receivedfrom the server apparatus 20B (S43). As illustrated in FIG. 6A, theterminal apparatus 10 displays the remaining number of sheets of paperon which an image can be formed under each of the account names of theprinters 31 to 35, based on the piece of stamp data. It is to be notedthat under each of the account names of the printers 31 to 35, based onthe piece of stamp data, the current balance may be displayed.Furthermore, together with the current balance, the price for imageformation may be displayed.

In the same manner as in S32, the server apparatus 20B determineswhether the remaining number of sheets of paper on which an image can beformed has become 0. When the remaining number of sheets of paper onwhich an image can be formed has become 0, the server apparatus 20Bdetermines that the stamp is to be invalidated (S44).

When stamp is to be invalidated, in the same manner as in S33, theserver apparatus 20B transmits, to the terminal apparatus 10, a piece ofinstruction data instructing to delete the piece of stamp data on theterminal apparatus 10 (S45). Furthermore, in the same manner as in S34,the server apparatus 20B transmits, to the terminal apparatus 10, amessage that the stamp has been invalidated (S46).

In the same manner as in S35, the terminal apparatus 10 invalidates thestamp for which the piece of instruction data instructing to delete hasbeen received from the server apparatus 20B (S47).

The server apparatus 20B enables the user to easily recognize theremaining number of sheets of paper on which an image can be formed orthe current balance for each of the stamps 45 to 48 on the terminalapparatus 10.

Fourth Embodiment

As illustrated in FIG. 15, a terminal apparatus 10A according to afourth embodiment is characterized by a configuration in which a controlunit 11A includes a calling unit 111. The other part of theconfiguration is formed in the same manner as in the terminal apparatus10 according to the first embodiment.

In the present embodiment, a piece of stamp data includes a piece oftext data for calling. That is to say, a piece of stamp data includes aheader code, a stamp code, a piece of stamp image data, and a piece oftext data for calling.

When a text for calling has been input during editing of a message inthe SNS application software, the calling unit 111 calls a stampassociated with this text as a conversion candidate and displays thecalled stamp on the operation display unit 12. This enables the user toeasily call a desired stamp during editing of a message in the SNSapplication software.

For example, with a stamp indicating a laugh, a text for calling “laugh”is associated. With a stamp indicating printing, a text for calling“print” is associated.

It is to be noted that the characteristics of the present embodiment canbe applied to the configurations in the second embodiment and the thirdembodiment.

Fifth Embodiment

As illustrated in FIG. 16, the printer 31A according to a fifthembodiment is characterized by a configuration in which a control unit311A includes an image forming condition setting unit 3111 and the flashmemory 313 includes a command storage unit 3131. The other part of theconfiguration is formed in the same manner as in the printer 31.

The command storage unit 3131 stores therein relations between one ormore icons (for example, the stamps 45 to 48) and commands eachcorresponding to a respective one of the icons. As described above, eachof the commands includes an image forming condition and an image forminginstruction.

When the image forming condition setting unit 3111 has received any ofthe icons and a piece of image data from the server apparatus 20, theimage forming condition setting unit 3111 reads out a correspondingcommand corresponding to the received icon from the command storage unit3131 and causes the image forming unit 314 to form an image based on thepiece of image data under the image forming condition included in thecorresponding command.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, the procedures at S51 to S60 are performed inthe same manner as the procedures in S1 to S10 illustrated in FIG. 5.

In the present embodiment, the server apparatus 20 transmits the stamp48 transmitted from the terminal apparatus 10, without conversion into acommand, to the printer 31A selected on the terminal apparatus 10,together with the piece of image data (S61).

The image forming condition setting unit 3111 of the printer 31A readsout a command corresponding to the stamp 48 that has been received atS54 from the command storage unit 3131, thereby converting the stamp 48into the command (S62).

The printer 31A uses the piece of image data to form an image on paperunder the image forming condition corresponding to the received stamp 48(S63). When image formation has been completed, the printer 31Atransmits a message indicating that image formation has been completedto the server apparatus 20 (S64). On the other hand, when an error hasbeen generated, the printer 31A transmits a message indicating thateffect to the server apparatus 20.

The server apparatus 20 transmits the message received from the printer31A to the terminal apparatus 10 as a reply message (S65).

The terminal apparatus 10 displays the received reply message on themessage display region 41 (S66).

As described above, with the printer 31A according to the presentembodiment, the icon selected on the terminal apparatus 10 istransmitted to the printer 31A via the server apparatus 20 andinterpreted as the image forming condition in the printer 31A. Withthis, no unit for interpreting an icon as an image forming condition hasto be provided in the server apparatus 20. In the image forming system1, a server apparatus including no unit for interpreting an icon as animage forming condition thus can be used.

It is to be noted that the characteristics of the present embodiment canbe combined with those in the second to the fourth embodiments.

Sixth Embodiment

As illustrated in FIG. 18, an information processing apparatus 60according to a sixth embodiment is connected to the server apparatus 20that provides a social networking service and the printer 31 that formsan image on paper via a communication line. The information processingapparatus 60 may be provided in each of the printers 31 to 35.

The information processing apparatus 60 includes a control unit 61, aflash memory 62, and a networking interface 63.

The network interface 63 connects the control unit 61 to the Internetand the printer 31, and over the SNS, performs reception of messages andpieces of image data from the server apparatus 20 as well astransmission of commands and pieces of image data to the printer 31, forexample.

The flash memory 62 includes a command storage unit 621. The commandstorage unit 621 stores therein relations between one or more icons andcommands each corresponding to a respective one of the icons andincluding an image forming condition and an image forming instruction.

The control unit 61 includes a command transmission unit 611. When thecommand transmission unit 611 has received any of the icons and a pieceof image data from the server apparatus 20, the command transmissionunit 611 reads out a corresponding command corresponding to the receivedicon from the command storage unit 621 and transmits the correspondingcommand and the piece of image data to the printer 31 that has beenselected on the terminal apparatus 10.

The icon selected on the terminal apparatus 10 is transmitted to theinformation processing apparatus 60 via the server apparatus 20, thecommand corresponding to the icon is read out in the informationprocessing apparatus 60, and this command is transmitted to the printer31. With this, under the image forming condition included in thecommand, an image based on the piece of image data is formed in theprinter 31.

According to the present embodiment, no unit for interpreting an icon asan image forming condition has to be provided in the server apparatus 20or the printer 31. In the image forming system 1, the server apparatus20 and the printer 31 that include no unit for interpreting an icon asan image forming condition thus can be used.

It is to be noted that the characteristics of the present embodiment canbe combined with those in the second to the fourth embodiments.

It is to be understood that above description on the embodiments is notlimitative but exemplary in all respects. The scope of the disclosure isnot defined by the embodiments described above but is defined by theappended claims. Further, it is intended that the scope of thedisclosure includes equivalents of the claims and all modificationswithin the scope.

The present disclosure contains subject matter related to that disclosedin Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2016-136543 filed in theJapan Patent Office on Jul. 11, 2016, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming control method implemented in asystem in which a terminal apparatus and one or more image formingapparatuses are allowed to communicate with each other using a socialnetworking service provided by a server apparatus, the methodcomprising: enabling selection of an image forming apparatus from amongthe one or more image forming apparatuses, and accepting the selectionof the image forming apparatus at the terminal apparatus; enablingselection of a command from among one or more commands including acondition for image formation to be fulfilled by the image formingapparatus selected at the terminal apparatus, and accepting theselection of the command at the terminal apparatus; enabling selectionof image data to be used for the image formation by the image formingapparatus selected at the terminal apparatus, and accepting theselection of the image data at the terminal apparatus; and causing theimage forming apparatus selected at the terminal apparatus to form animage of the image data selected at the terminal apparatus using thecommand selected at the terminal apparatus.
 2. The image forming controlmethod according to claim 1, further comprising: displaying a messagedisplay region at the terminal apparatus for showing communication withthe image forming apparatus selected after the selection of the imageforming apparatus is accepted; and displaying the command selected atthe terminal apparatus along one side of the message display region atthe terminal apparatus.
 3. The image forming control method according toclaim 2, further comprising: transmitting the image forming apparatusand the command selected at the terminal apparatus to the serverapparatus; if the image forming apparatus and the command transmittedfrom the terminal apparatus are received at the server apparatus,transmitting an inquiry about feasibility of the image formation fromthe server apparatus to the image forming apparatus selected at theterminal apparatus and received at the server apparatus; and display anapparatus icon indicating the image forming apparatus selected and amessage from the server apparatus indicating a result of the inquiryalong another side opposite to the one side of the message displayregion at the terminal apparatus, wherein if the image formation isdetermined to be feasible in response to the inquiry, the selection ofthe image data is enabled at the terminal apparatus.
 4. The imageforming control method according to claim 3, further comprising:transmitting the image data selected at the terminal apparatus to theserver apparatus.
 5. The image forming control method according to claim3, wherein each of the one or more commands has correspondence to one ormore command icons, respectively, enabling selection of a command iconfrom among the one or more command icons enables the selection of thecommand, and the selection of the command icon is accepted as thecommand at the terminal apparatus, the command icon selected isdisplayed along the one side of the message display region andtransmitted to the server apparatus.
 6. The image forming control methodaccording to claim 5, wherein if the image forming apparatus and thecommand icon transmitted from the terminal apparatus are received at theserver apparatus, the command icon received is temporarily saved to amemory in the server apparatus, and in this state, the inquiry about thefeasibility of the image formation is transmitted from the serverapparatus to the image forming apparatus received.
 7. The image formingcontrol method according to claim 2, wherein when the message displayregion is displayed, if a transmission history is existed, thetransmission history is displayed by the message display region.
 8. Anon-transitory computer readable medium storing an image forming controlprogram implemented in a system in which a terminal apparatus and one ormore image forming apparatuses are allowed to communicate with eachother using a social networking service provided by a server apparatus,the image forming control program causing the terminal apparatus toexecute: enabling selection of an image forming apparatus from among theone or more image forming apparatuses, and accepting the selection ofthe image forming apparatus at the terminal apparatus; enablingselection of a command from among one or more commands including acondition for image formation to be fulfilled by the image formingapparatus selected at the terminal apparatus, and accepting theselection of the command at the terminal apparatus; and enablingselection of image data to be used for the image formation by the imageforming apparatus selected at the terminal apparatus and accepting theselection of the image data at the terminal apparatus.